Block the Dangerous Warner Bros Discovery Takeover

Hollywood is on the brink of another catastrophic merger — and the Department of Justice must stop it now, before workers, consumers, and our democracy pay the price.

The DOJ’s Antitrust Division must immediately block the proposed takeover of Warner Bros Discovery by Netflix or Paramount. This deal is moving fast, and every day without action brings us closer to a media landscape dominated by just a few corporations with unchecked power.

The consequences are already clear. When Paramount last shifted ownership, more than 1,000 workers were laid off, with even deeper cuts expected. Hollywood unions warn that this merger would be even worse — gutting jobs, slashing writers’ rooms, shrinking production budgets, and tightening studio control over creative work. Consolidation always means fewer opportunities for the people who actually make our culture.

Consumers would also pay the price. Allowing two entertainment giants to fuse would hand one company sweeping control over what we watch and how much we’re forced to pay. Less competition means higher subscription costs, fewer viewing options, and entire catalogs disappearing overnight.

Members of Congress across the political spectrum are sounding the alarm. Democratic lawmakers call this merger a “five-alarm antitrust fire.” Republican Senator Mike Lee has publicly expressed “grave doubts” and is considering Senate antitrust hearings. When both parties warn that a deal threatens competition and democracy, the DOJ must take notice.

And now we face a deeply troubling new development: reporting reveals that Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, is helping to finance Paramount’s hostile takeover bid using money from the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. Foreign government financing and political insiders should not be shaping the future of American media.

The clock is ticking. Corporate negotiators are pushing to finalize this deal within weeks. The DOJ must act immediately to protect workers, preserve competition, and defend our democracy.

Block this merger now — before the damage becomes irreversible.